Senate Bill 2768

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE AND DIRECT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO IMPLEMENT A MANDATORY K-12 COMPUTER SCIENCE CURRICULUM BASED ON THE MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE- AND CAREER-READINESS STANDARDS FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE WHICH INCLUDES INSTRUCTION IN, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, COMPUTATIONAL THINKING, CYBER-RELATED, PROGRAMMING, CYBER SECURITY, DATA SCIENCE, ROBOTICS, AND OTHER COMPUTER SCIENCE AND CYBER-RELATED CONTENT; TO PRESCRIBE MINIMUM COMPONENTS OF THE CURRICULUM AT EACH GRADE LEVEL; AND TO PROVIDE FOR TEACHER TRAINING AS NEEDED AT ALL GRADE LEVELS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) The State Department of Education is authorized and directed to implement a mandatory K-12 Computer Science curriculum based on the Mississippi College- and Career-Standards for Computer Science which includes instruction in, but not limited to, computational thinking, problem-solving, programming, cyber security, data science, robotics, and other computer science and cyber-related content to be phased in, at all public schools beginning with the 2019-2020 school year, as provided in this section.

(2) Public schools shall provide students in Grades K-12 opportunities for learning computer science, including, but not limited to, computational thinking, problem-solving, programming, cyber security, data science, robotics, and other computer science and cyber-related content. Such opportunities may include programming, robotics, digital citizenship and technology literacy at the elementary school; programming, cyber security, robotics, data science and technology literacy at the middle school; programming, cyber security, robotics, data science and two- or three-year pathways in focused areas like software development, cyber security and artificial intelligence which may include earning industry certifications and/or dual-credit with postsecondary institutions. High school opportunities may be offered to students online. The State Department of Education shall work with the Center for Cyber Education at Mississippi State University to identify and/or develop K-12 computer science curriculum and delivery options.

(3) The State Department of Education shall provide annual training for teachers, counselors and administrators in order to phase in the K-12 computer science curriculum beginning in the 2019-2020 school year. The State Department of Education shall work with the Center for Cyber Education at Mississippi State University to develop and coordinate teacher training. The State Department of Education may contract with private and nonprofit providers for teacher training and for student instruction, and is encouraged to utilize available cost-free computer science training, instruction and resources. Teachers and students may receive computer science instruction online.

(4) The State Board of Education is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to implement the K-12 computer science curriculum established in this act.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2019.